A busy Dunkirk Common Council agenda tonight is topped by a proposal to create a city comptroller position, and a resolution to hire a new dog control officer.

The comptroller position requires a local law, and tonight’s agenda introduces it. A public hearing would have to be held before the law is passed, and notice of the hearing is required, so the law won’t get passed tonight.

However, the process will start on enacting another big change at City Hall. The city clerk and city treasurer positions were merged just a couple months ago.

The law is supposed to “enact changes necessary for the city to efficiently function as a result of the abolishment of the elected treasurer position as approved by the city electorate in 2025, and the creation of the Office of the City Clerk/Treasurer and the Office of the City Comptroller to absorb the previous duties of the city treasurer position.” That mouthful is in the “Purpose and Intent” section of the local law.

That section calls the change “in line with the general integrated organizational structure, in this area, of other Western New York communities.”

The proposed law states that all fiscal positions in the city would be appointed for terms of six years each. It essentially combines the new comptroller position with that of the existing fiscal affairs officer.

The law goes on to formally abolish the elected treasurer position from the city charter. It is replaced with a clerk/treasurer and a comptroller that would be appointed by the mayor.

As for the dog control officer, it’s supposed to be Wayde Forster. A proposal is on the agenda to hire him at a cost of $1,600 per month.

Forster would be working under contract until Sept. 30. At that time, “the parties, if satisfied with the services provided, will negotiate a new contract.”

The previous city dog control officer, Jennifer Sasso, walked away after her contract expired March 31. She subsequently criticized the city government for an alleged lack of support for its dog shelter.

The Common Council has not met in a month. The council cancelled its last scheduled meeting two weeks ago over alleged technical issues with a remote hookup. Councilman-at-Large Nick Weiser said the meeting would be rescheduled, but it never was.

In a sure sign of the spring season, tonight’s agenda contains no fewer than 17 requests from various people and organizations to hold events and obtain loudspeaker permits.